The Black Cloth
by belasgrl
Summary: Crossover of Mr. Peabody and Sherman and The Phantom of the Opera. Warning: Violent and Disturbing content. Why do I suck at summaries?
1. Chapter 1

St. Louis.

Emerald was in St. Louis for the first time in her life. She could have seen the sights, but she only wanted to do one thing: see a show. She could only stay a day over the weekend since she had to work on Monday.

To have time to fight through the traffic Emerald left her house early, and she sighed with relief when she got to the Fox Theater. She parked her car and entered the theater. She got a playbill for the show and everything she needed to do before she found her seat. She couldn't wait for the show to start.

The show that was playing that night was Andrew Lloyd Webber's _The Phantom of the Opera_. Emerald had always wanted to see it, and even though it took her a few months to save the money, she was determined to go at least once. Now, here she was, excited and at the edge of her seat.

From the beginning to the end, she was enraptured and amazed. It was a dream come true for her. When the actors took their bows, she stood up with tears in her eyes and applauded. It was the greatest night of her life.

Being careful not to bump into anyone in the swarm of people leaving the theater, she headed toward the exit. She didn't want to get home too late; she hated driving after dark, but tonight, it was worth it. Even though she was paying attention to her surroundings, she suddenly got distracted by something strange. Was that...a moving, black piece of cloth? She saw it for only a moment, but that moment was long enough for her to become curious. She headed in the direction of where she saw it, but when she got to the spot where it had been, she couldn't see it anywhere. Then, she shook her head. She had been seeing things.

As she headed toward the exit, she felt something move under her shoe. She looked down and picked it up. It was an envelope with no name or address on it. Maybe it was for one of the actors and someone had dropped it.

She knew she shouldn't.

She knew it was wrong.

She had to, though. Something told her that she had to.

The young woman opened the envelope and unfolded the paper that was inside. It said, "Emerald, I know what your dreams are."

She shook. It was for her. It HAD to be for her. She didn't know anyone who had her name since it was rather unique, so she was quite sure that the note was directed toward her.

Questions raced through her head. Who wrote this note? How could they know what her dreams were? Why hadn't someone else picked up the note before she had? Even though these questions plagued her mind, she had to get out of the theater so she could get home. She put the note in her purse and quickly left the theater to go home.


	2. Chapter 2

As Emerald drove home, she tried to focus on the road and only the road, but she couldn't help thinking about the note she had picked up at the theater. She tried to put it out of her mind and concentrate on her driving, thinking that she could take in everything when she got home, but it didn't work. She simply couldn't force herself to put everything out of her mind. She was so focused on these thoughts that she didn't pay enough attention to the road, and as a result, she almost hit a deer that jumped out in front of her. Luckily, she saw it just in time, and instead of hitting it, she swerved, and her car rolled off the road and into a field. That was the last thing she saw before she became unconsious.

Emerald had the strangest and longest dream she had ever had. She dreamt that she was in a weird place, in a bedroom that was not her own. She got up and tried to find her way out, but that was difficult because her vision was fuzzy. She opened the door to the room and stepped out.

The room she entered was huge. It was sparcely decorated as far as she could tell. She couldn't see any colors since her dream was in black and white, but she could see enough to move around okay.

There was a sectional couch in one corner of the room, and a piano was precisly in the middle. As she walked toward the piano, she almost tripped on the huge rug that spread across most of the floor. Luckily, she caught herself in time. When she got her bearings again, she went to the piano and sat on the bench and started to play. She wasn't that great and messed up a lot of notes, but she was enjoying herself.

Soon, she got hungry. Suddenly, she saw a plate of food on the coffee table in front of the sectional. She ate until she was full, then went to the piano and played some more. It was turning out to be a pleasant dream.

Suddenly, out of the corner of her eye, Emerald saw something moving toward her, though she couldn't tell what it was. She stood up, quickly and said, "What the hell is that?" As it came closer, she did the only thing she could think of: she ran. She raced toward the room that she had been in when she first started the dream, but she fell. Before she could get up, she sensed the thing was right beside her, and she heard a voice say, "Don't be afraid. I didn't mean to frighten you. You shouldn't be moving around in your condition?"

"Condition?"

That was the last thing Emerald remembered before she woke up.


	3. Chapter 3

When Emerald woke up, she found herself in a hospital bed in a white room. When she tried to move, sharp pain ran through her body. She looked at her arms and felt her head. She was wrapped in bandages and had an IV in her arm. Then, it hit her. The car accident. Someone must have found her and called an ambulance.

After she cried out in pain, a nurse rushed in and soothed her and urged her not to move. The first thing Emerald asked was, "Am I going to die?"

"No," the nurse said, "You're going to be alright. Just lie still and try not to stress out. I'll get a doctor in here."

The nurse left, and not long after that, a doctor entered the room. He said, "Hello, Emerald, how are you feeling?"

Breathing sharply through her mouth, she replied, "I'm in pain. Am I dying?"

The doctor replied, smiling, "No, you're going to be just fine. You are a very lucky woman to have survived that car crash."

Before the doctor could say anything else, Emerald asked, "Who called for the ambulance? There was no one around when I wrecked my car."

The doctor stated, "Actually, the nurses found you in front of the entrance at the hospital. It looked like someone had taken quite a bit of care for you before you came. Perhaps that saved your life, but you needed far more medical attention, so here you are. Now, you're going to stay here until your injuries heal, then you'll be able to go home. Do you have anyone you will be able to stay after you get out, just in case? It would be wise to not be alone so someone can watch over you to make sure nothing else happens."

"No," Emerald replied. "Everyone in my family lives too far away."

"Well, we'll cross that bridge when we get to it. For now, get some rest. A nurse will be in later to check up on you."

When the doctor left, Emerald relaxed and tried to go to sleep. Sleep would make time go faster.

Wait.

Emerald's eyes suddenly opened wide. Did the doctor say someone brought her to the hospital? There was no ambulance, and no one said who actually dropped her off. Was this the same person who tried to treat her before she came there? She had to know.

She buzzed for a nurse. When one came in, she asked about it. "I have to know. Can you find out for me? Please, it's important."

"What's your name?"

"Emerald Manners."

"I'll check and see."

When the nurse came back, she said, "No one knows who brought you to the hospital. No one saw anyone drop you off. The important thing is that you will be okay. Now, try to relax."

Emerald tried to relax and calm down. Now was not the time to stress out. After a while, she was able to fall asleep. 


	4. Chapter 4

Emerald had another dream. This time, everything was just a bit clearer, but it was in black and white, like her previous one.

In this dream, she was back in the strange house again. She immediately found herself in the big room, and everything was exactly the same, except this time, instead of food, there was a glass of orange juice on the coffee table. "Strange," she said, but picked up the glass. She examined the glass, then finally took a drink. Feeling refreshed, Emerald went to the piano again and started playing, but this time, she played much better. She was so proud of herself.

As before, she spotted something out of the corner of her eye. She stood up and tried to get a good look. A voice said, "Please don't run away. I'm not going to hurt you."

Emerald couldn't believe it; it was the piece of black cloth that she had seen at the theater! Tired of being scared, she screamed, "Who are you?! What do you want with me?!" But before she gave the thing a chance to answer, she rushed toward it and began pulling the cloth off to see what was underneath.

She woke up before she found out what it was.

Two weeks later, Emerald was almost completely better, and she was able to go home. She was able to get someone to stay with her for awhile, and she couldn't go back to work just yet, which dismayed her. How was she going to be able to pay her bills? She knew it didn't help worrying about money problems, but it couldn't be avoided. She wasn't wealthy; she was far from it. She lived in a tiny apartment in a small town in Missouri. Things were hard enough for her. She was lucky to have a job at the local grociery store, but now, she was afraid she was going to lose it. She became depressed. All she wanted to do was sleep the thoughts away.

A day after she got home, Emerald got a letter in the mail. There was no address or name of the sender. When she opened it and read the paper, she shook. The person who was watching her asked, "What's wrong?"

Lying, Emerald told her, "Nothing."

Emerald went to her room and read the note over and over again. "You are well. Now, focus on your dreams."

It had to be from the same person who wrote the first note. It was in the same handwriting and same color of ink. She tried to calm down, but it was hard to. Breathing quickly, the young woman attempted to regain her composure. Then, she made up her mind. As soon as she got completely better, she would go back to St. Louis and find this person who was sending her those notes. 


	5. Chapter 5

Emerald was able to go to St. Louis once again since she had a little money in her savings account. She had to make that visit count. She only had one chance to find the person who kept sending her notes.

Again, she saw The Phantom of the Opera, but after the show was over, she sneaked to another part of the theater. Her heart was racing because she might get kicked out if she was found. She had to take that chance.

Somehow, she managed to get backstage. She started looking around for any signs. Unfortunately, she was caught by someone, and she explained that she was looking for someone. She was asked to leave the theater. Defeated, Emerald left but kept looking until she finally exited the theater.

Emerald tried to keep from crying. There was no way she could find the note-sender now. Going to the police wouldn't do any good. She couldn't think of any other way to search for the person. She headed home, sadly, but safely this time.

Life went on. Emerald fortunately still had her job at the store. Her life was boring but consistant. Every day, she woke up, got ready for work, went to work, came home, ate, watched TV, and went to bed. Everything became calm.

Then, Emerald received another note.

"Meet me at the gas station."

Emerald's dismay turned into anger. She grabbed a pen and did the only thing she could think of to do. She furiously wrote, "NO! WHO ARE YOU?!" She then set it right outside the door. As soon as she slammed it, she went to bed.

Fortunately, Emerald didn't have any dreams the night before. When she woke up, she got ready for work. When she stepped out of her door, she noticed that there was a note there, but it was a different color of paper. It said, "I can't tell you that, but you must believe that I want to help you."

She crumbled up the note and threw it in her apartment and slammed the door behind her.


	6. Chapter 6

"I know this is all unconventional, but I'd like it if you'd trust me at least slightly. To begin proving that I mean you no harm, I will tell you my first name. It is Hector. I would like to meet you."

Emerald drew a sharp breath. These notes weren't going to stop until she met this person. She wrote a note back, agreeing to meet him at night at the gas station. To protect herself, she bought a pocket knife. Then, the night came that she was to meet this person.

At 8:00 PM, Emerald waited in front of the gas station. Finally, she heard a voice say, "Hello, Emerald."

"Come out where I can see you."

"I'm afraid I can't do that."

"If you don't, I'll call the police!"

"Alright."

Slowly, the figure stepped out of the shadows. Emerald gasped. It was the black piece of cloth that she had seen at the theater! She didn't run toward it, like she had in one of her dreams. This person might have been dangerous. Dangerous and...short? Very, very short.

"I'm here. What do you want?"

"I'd like to make an offer."

"I refuse!"

"You don't even know what I'm proposing."

"I don't care! I'm not playing these games anymore! If you don't leave me alone, I will make sure you will never be free! You'll go to jail and rot there! I have enough problems, and I don't need more!"

The figure was quiet for a moment, then he said, sadly, "Unfortunately, I am already in a jail of sorts. My life is empty, and it always has been. If I can make a difference in one's life, then I will have purpose."

"So, you want to do something to me just because you have self-esteem issues?"

"Not something TO you. Something FOR you. If you will listen to what I have to say, you might change your mind."

"I doubt it."

"If you let me speak, I will let you decide if you want to accept or decline my offer. If you choose to decline, I will leave you alone and will never contact you in any way again."

"Fine," Emerald said, crossing her arms.

Hector was silent for a moment. Then, he said, "I know you wish to be a singer or a pianist. I can give you lessons for both of those things. I can arrange it that once you are ready, you can become a performer and acheive greatness."

When he was done speaking, Emerald stated, "You're insane. Now, if you don't leave me alone, you'll be sorry. Leave, now!"

"Of course," he said, respectfully. Then, he was gone.

"What a nut," Emerald said to herself as she got in her car to go home.


	7. Chapter 7

Lately, Emerald had been feeling depressed, and her troubling dreams didn't help her mood any. She always dreamed about the house, but it looked different from the other dreams. It was all red instead of black and white. Every time she saw the black cloth, she knew who it was, but she could never see what the person under the cloth was. She always woke up feeling troubled and uneasy.

Her mood got so bad that she considered seeing a counselor, but in the end, she didn't. She had been depressed before; she could get through this.

To cope, she tried writing poems about how she was feeling and tried to write everything down in a diary, but it didn't seem to help. The dreams didn't stop, and her mood didn't get any better.

Work was getting harder and harder to deal with. She tried to keep a smile on her face, but inside, she was falling apart. The whole situation with Hector triggered memories of other events in her life, memories that she had tried to bury. She couldn't function anymore. One day, she missed work, then she quit. She couldn't handle it anymore.

After that, all she did was sleep, not caring much about anything. She had tried so hard for many years to get better, to bury everything inside her mind, but now, it all came back and weighed her down like an anchor. She didn't bathe or brush her hair. She didn't talk to anyone. She lost her enthusiam for life.

One night, she finally gave up on herself and on life. Lighting a few candles, she took her pocket knife and began cutting her arm. Eventually, she cut so deep that she cut a vein. She almost didn't feel it. She was numb to everything. Finally, she lost consciousness. She was at peace at last. 


	8. Chapter 8

Was this Heaven or Hell? Emerald always imagined that Heaven would be white and full of light and Hell would be dark and full of fire. All she saw was the color blue. Confused, she asked, "Which one am I in? Can I talk to God, or Satan?"

"Emerald?"

"Who am I talking to?"

"It's me, Hector."

"Oh, great. You again. I must be in Hell."

"Not quite. You are still alive. I'm so glad."

Emerald felt a hand on her head. Instintively, she jerked away. Hector apologized.

"Well, if we're going to spend eternity here, will you tell me how you died?" Emerald asked.

"Emerald, we're not dead. Please, listen to me." Then, he sighed. "Just...stay here and rest."

"I've got all the time in the world...or rather, in Hell."

Eternity was a long time, neverending. When she woke up, Emerald looked around. She was still surrounded by blue, but this time, she was more aware of her surroundings. When she tried to move, she felt a strong pain on her wrist. Maybe she would forever be punished this way for killing herself. That was the only explanation...or was it?

As she stood up, she suddenly felt weak. Before she fell violently backward, she saw a blur of black, and she was caught and gently laid down on the bed. When she stopped being dizzy, she saw Hector, still covered with the black cloth. He said, worried, "You are far too weak to stand or move around much. Would you like something to eat or drink? You need nourishment."

"My throat is parched."

"I'll get you some water."

Hector left and came back shortly with a glass of water with a straw in it. "Drink it, slowly." He held the glass close to her. She drank.

"Are you feeling better?" he asked.

"I guess. A little weak."

"You lost a lot of blood, so that is to be expected."

"Are you in Hell because you harassed me and was so selfish?"

Patiently, Hector answered, "Emerald, we are not in Hell. I wish I knew how I could convince you of this."

"I guess it can't hurt to play a game. If we're not dead, umm..." She paused, thinking. "Tell me what time it is. There is no time in Hell since we're here for eternity."

"It's 2 in the afternoon."

"Prove it."

Hector disappeared for a moment, then came back with a clock. He held it up to her. Sure enough, it said it was 2:00 PM.

"Okay...What day is today?"

"Thursday, the 24th."

Finally, it hit her. They weren't dead. They really weren't dead.

"This is impossible. I bled to death."

"Almost, but I found you and was able to do a transfusion."

"Of your blood?"

"No."

"Oh, my god. OH, MY GOD!"

"Please, don't panic. You're safe. Nothing bad is going to happen."

"Why did you do this to me? I wanted to die, you asshole! What were you doing in my house, anyway? You said you wouldn't contact me again!"

"Emerald..." She could see him shaking. "Please, calm down. I know I said I wouldn't contact you again, but I had to."

His voice was shaky and pleading. Suddenly, Emerald calmed down.

"I...I didn't want you to die. You are so much more than you believe you are. You have so much potential, so much life ahead of you. I couldn't let you waste it. I can help you. I want to help you. Please, don't send me away. I'll take care of you."

Emerald began to cry. "You're just saying that!"

"No, not at all. I mean all of it, from the bottom of my heart. Let me prove it to you."

Well, life couldn't get any worse now. She might as well stay for at least a while.  



	9. Chapter 9

Hector nursed Emerald back to health. During that time, he talked a great length about various things. He talked about being a builder, musician, scientist, and other things. He was skilled in medicine, as she found out. He was gentle with her and always spoke with a soft voice. He never hurt her, never raised his voice or belittled her, and never pushed her to do anything she didn't want to. He never made advances and was respectful.

Over time, Emerald began trusting him more and more. He indeed proved to her that he meant her no harm, and she warmed up to him. One day, she asked, "Can I talk to you?"

"Of course."

Emerald hesitated, then she finally spoke. "I kept having dreams about this place, and about you. They didn't stop. They drove me crazy. Then, I got depressed, and everything fell apart."

"I'm so sorry. This is all my fault."

"No, it isn't. I've been depressed before, plenty of times."

"Have you seen a psychiatrist about it?"

"No. I've always bounced back. I've always been able to keep my head up."

"You never got any help."

"I didn't need it."

"Do you still think that?"

Emerald paused. She looked back on everything that had happened. Finally, she said, quietly, "No, I guess not."

"You've held all of this in for a long time, haven't you?"

The young woman nodded, looking down.

"I know how you feel."

"You do?"

"Yes. I've felt like everything was hopeless, that my life meant nothing. I began learning skills to keep myself busy. I've never had a friend. Now, here I am. You are the only other person that has been here."

"That sucks."

"We have more in common than either of us have ever thought."

"Yeah..."

"I apologize for all of the things I have done to you. It was unacceptable, and I scared you. I'm deeply sorry."

"It's okay now. You've proven that you don't want to hurt me."

"I'm glad you trust me more. I'll do everything I can for you. I promise."


	10. Chapter 10

Eventually, Emerald got better. When she did, Hector asked, "You are well now. Are you going to leave?"

Emerald thought about this question. Finally, she replied, "Not yet. I don't have anything to go home to, and...I'd like more lessons."

During her time at Hector's house, she learned how to play the piano and sing better. She had learned so much from him, and she wanted to learn more.

"I'm so glad." he said.

Emerald stayed for another month. Eventually, Hector told her that she was ready to try out for auditions.

One day, he said, "You can leave. You don't have to stay here."

Before, Emerald would have jumped at the chance to get away from him, but now, she became sad. She wasn't sure if she wanted to leave. "I'd...I'd like to stay here for awhile, if that's okay with you."

She heard his voice tremble. "You really mean that?"

"Yes."

"That makes me so happy!"

Emerald smiled. Then, she got up and hugged him. He slowly hugged her back. "You've given me all the happiness in the world," he whispered.

Suddenly, she kissed him on the side of his head. He broke down and cried. "No one has ever done that. I never thought anyone would ever..." Then, he sobbed some more.

The next day, Emerald exited the bedroom and came into the big room. She saw Hector playing the piano. Cheerfully, she said, "Good morning."

Gloomily, he said, "Good morning."

Sensing something was wrong, she stood next to him, but he quickly got up and walked away from her. "What's wrong?" she asked, worried.

"I'm sorry, but you need to go."

Emerald froze. "What?"

"You've learned all you can from me. You have the tools to succeed. You need to leave."

"I don't want to!"

"You have to! I want you to go!"

Emerald was startled. He had never raised his voice to her before. "Why?"

"This is not where you should be! I've kept you here long enough! Leave, now!"

Sad and confused, Emerald turned to leave, but then, she whirled around and cried out, "That's not the reason! Why do you really want me to leave?"

"Emerald, go!"

In a mix of grief and anger, she ran toward him and pulled the black cloth off of him. What she saw shocked her.

When Hector turned around, he looked at her with wide eyes. They stared at each other.

Hector was a dog.  



	11. Chapter 11

For many moments, Emerald and Hector stared at each other, both shocked.

Hector was a dog.

Hector was a DOG.

A talking dog.

It was impossible.

Hector ran out of the room and disappeared to his room, leaving Emerald to think about what had just happened.

It didn't make sense. The only thing that made sense was the reason he had worn the black cloth. But how was it possible that a talking dog could exist? Eventually, she came to the conclusion that anything was possible. That was the only explanation she could come up with.

Once she was finished thinking about it, she remembered that Hector had left the room. She went to his bedroom door and heard sobs from inside the room. She knocked and said, "Hector? Hector, please come out. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that. Please, talk to me. I'm so sorry."

When he didn't come out, she sat down on the floor beside the door. She waited.

Finally, the door slowly opened. Emerald looked up into Hector's red eyes and said, "I'm so sorry."

"I...I didn't want you to see me," he stated, struggling to speak.

"I understand now. I should have respected that. I didn't mean to hurt you. I love you."

Hector flinched when she said that. "Please, don't. It can never be. Look at me!"

"I don't care. I only care about your heart, and it's good. I'm sorry for hurting you, but I'm not sorry for loving you."

"Please, Emerald-"

Emerald suddenly kissed him before he could turn away. She held onto him for dear life. At first, Hector was tense, then he relaxed and let them enjoy the moment.

With teary eyes, Hector said, "For so long, I've been hiding, avoiding everyone. I will never be accepted by society, but if...if you love me, then I don't need anything else."

"I love you, Hector, but I don't want to hide forever. You shouldn't, either. You are so talented; there is so much you can offer the world. I won't leave you. Come on. Let's make a new life for ourselves."

"But..."

"Please? As long as we're together, we can face the world."

After a lot of time spent trying to convince Hector to merge with society with her, he finally agreed. They knew it was going to be a huge and difficult change, but they were both ready. 


	12. Chapter 12

It took a while, but Hector was eventually accepted as a valuable member of society. He and Emerald moved to the city. Hector gave himself a last name: Peabody.

With Hector's help, Emerald became a famous pianist and singer, and Hector eventually became a teacher at a college. There were many bumps along the way, but through it all, they thrived. They loved each other, depended on each other, and lived happily.

One day, Hector showed Emerald his black cloth that he used to wear. "It's time to let the past go." Then, he burned it. He was free. Hector Peabody was finally free. 


End file.
